John Phillips (John The Wolfking of L.A.)
Studio album by John Phillips
Released January 25, 1970
Recorded 1969
Genre Rock
Length 33:45
Label Dunhill
Producer Lou Adler
John Phillips (John, the Wolf King of L.A.) is the first solo recording by the Mamas & the Papas leader John Phillips. All songs were Phillips originals, dealing mostly with recent events in Phillips' life, including references to his new girlfriend Genevive Wate and longtime friend Ann Marshall ("April Anne"). The backing musicians included members of Wrecking Crew. Today the album receives favorable reviews from fans and critics alike.
As Phillips was the backing singer in the Mamas and the Papas, with the other three serving as lead singers, the album mix tends to de-emphasize his lead vocals. Denny Doherty stated that, had the Mamas & the Papas performed this album, it would have been one of their finest, because of the strength of Phillips' songs. The single "Mississippi" reached the US Billboard top 40. Phillips and the other members of the Mamas & the Papas were threatened with a lawsuit just as the album was released, discouraging the label from promoting the album.
Professional ratings
allmusic 4/5 stars
Review by Matthew Greenwald of allmusic:
The first solo album of the architect of the Mamas & Papas sound, John Phillips, was certainly one of the more heralded events at the dawn of the 1970s. Phillips, the primary songwriter and vocal arranger for all of the group's great records, however, was not exactly a great lead vocalist. Phillips knew this, and, according to his book, Papa John, he purposely buried his voice in the mix. This proved to be a bit of tragedy, because underneath it all, this is an excellent album. Songs such as "April Anne," "Malibu People," and "Holland Tunnel" bear out what a fine songwriter he really was, and indeed, these are some of the finest songs of his career. The performances on this record are spectacular. Backed by an all-star group of musicians (most of Elvis Presley's band, including James Burton, as well as the Wrecking Crew, among others), the record's decidedly country feel is crafted to the extreme. Mamas co-founder Denny Doherty has always felt that had the Mamas & Papas recorded this album, it would have been one of their finest. There's no doubt.
Review by Rebecca Wright of blogcritics:
Led by John Phillips, the Mamas and the Papas were one of the seminal pop/folk groups of the mid to late sixties. During the bands brief run as a fixture on the billboard charts, Phillips wrote such classics as California Dreamin, Creque Alley, and Monday, Monday.
By 1969, the Mamas and the Papas had disbanded. With hopes of getting the group back together, Dunhill records signed John Phillips to a contract which allowed him to record a solo album and pursue his other artistic interests. The deal also included the promise of another Mamas and the Pappas album. Instead, Phillips concentrated on his first solo record and never reunited with the original Mamas and the Papas lineup again.
John Phillips (John, the Wolfking of LA.) was originally released in 1969 to limited success. Varese Sarabande records has released a fully remastered and expanded version of John Phillips (The Wolfking of L.A.) for the first time on CD. Phillips was able to get some of the eras best musicians of the era, including Elvis Presleys guitarist James Burton, steel guitarist Buddy Emmons, drummer Hal Blaine, and backing vocals by Darlene Love among others. The opportunity to listen to the playing skills of all the musicians involved in Wolfking makes the album a must have, for any John Phillips fan.
Recorded at the end of the sixties, during the height of the counterculture, the freedom of Woodstock, and the terror of the Manson murders that gripped Los Angeles, John Phillips (John, The Wolfking of L.A.) is a mix of both the happy highs of drugs (more specifically heroin), and the despair of losing grip of reality, all with a country-folk backbeat. Phillips would struggle with heavy drug problems most of his adult life; much of it well documented in various tabloids from the late sixties to the late eighties.
Many of the songs on Wolfking of L.A. seem to document Johns decent into addiction. The lyrics of Topanga Canyon, Sometimes I drive out to Topanga and park my car in the sand, watching and waiting for a pick up from my man. In Drum Junkies, a group of junkies steal his drum so they can put them in their arms. Let It Bleed, Genevieve deals with the true story of how Johns wife Genevieve, lay upstairs having a miscarriage as he was on the floor below, unconscious after a drug binge.
The digitally remastered John Phillips (John,The Wolfking of L.A.) has superior sound quality. The album also includes eight previously unreleased tracks unearthed by Mamas and the Papas producer Lou Adler. On some of the bonus tracks, Phillips moves away from the drug themes so prevalent in the originally released songs and touches on things such as his young daughters in Lonely Children, and an ode to his soon-to-be-wife Genevieve, in 16 mm Baby.
While John Phillips (John, The Wolfking of L.A.) is a dark and brooding record, it is also a great one. Wolfking shows John Phillips tremendous talents as a writer, producer, arranger and singer. Sadly, the album is also a reminder of how much damage drugs have done to some of rock musics greats. As I listened to Wolfking, I couldnt help but wonder how many more great songs there would have been if drugs hadnt become Phillips best friend for so many years.
LP track listing
All songs written by John Phillips.
Side One
1. "April Anne" 3:22
2. "Topanga Canyon" 3:53
3. "Malibu People" 3:41
4. "Someone's Sleeping" 2:46
5. "Drum" 3:36
Side Two
6. "Captain" 3:25
7. "Let It Bleed, Genevieve" 2:53
8. "Down the Beach" - 2:52
9. "Mississippi" 3:36
10. "Holland Tunnel" 3:41
Personnel
* John Phillips - vocals, guitar, harmonica
* Buddy Emmons - pedal steel
* James Burton - guitar, dobro
* Red Rhodes - steel guitar
* Darlene Love - vocals
* Gordon Terry - fiddle, violin
* Hal Blaine - drums
* David Cohen - guitar
* Dr. Eric Hord - guitar
* Fanita James - vocals
* Jean King - vocals
* Larry Knechtel - keyboards
* Joe Osborn - bass